Vol 3 Section 0582

“I have been as much impressed as has the chairman by Mr. Spencer’s speech, and confused also. Statistics always have that effect. As they rise higher and higher to the sky, they become in the same proportion more and more inexplicable. I was glad when I heard it stated that Missouri had turned out 25,000,000 mules. [Roars of laughter.] It’s from Missouri, and it is expected to be believed. When I was young and in Missouri, I could believe such things. It was a habit, but now that I have come to this grave part of the country, where the people rely largely upon truth, it is not to be expected.

“I don’t know what this Louisiana Purchase is, but if they have appropriated in some questionable manner twenty-five millions, I suppose they propose to use it for the purchase of Louisiana. They ought to know that they can’t have Louisiana for this money. This glorifying of St. Louis is likely to have a bad effect upon you, because it is likely to raise your pride in your state. But there is room for it between here and the zenith. [Laughter.] You must keep these things in bounds.

“George Washington was a Missourian. He was that, not by accident of birth, but by his primacy in the achievement of liberty and the other great things he did for his country. That made him a Missourian. Caesar was a Missourian. They are all Missourians by right. Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, General Grant—they are all Missourians by right of their achievements. We have soldiers in plenty by that right. John Hay has by that right become a half Missourian. He lived in that state for a short time. I, in my quality as lay preacher, say live your lives in virtue, that when you come to lay your life down you shall not descend, but ascend—to Missouri.

[speeches by others omitted]

At the conclusion of the banquet a resolution was adopted to appoint a committee to draft a constitution for the new society. Augustus Thomas was made the Chairman of that committee. Four hundred men are already enrolled. Permanent organization will be perfected in the Fall.

May 29 Wednesday – Sam spent the evening with the Urban Broughtons at their home on 230 W. 72^nd

Street [MTHHR 462n3: NB 44 TS 12]. Note: On June 3 Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers referring to him not showing at the Broughtons.

May 30 Thursday – Sam’s notebook: “Mrs. Broughton” [NB 44 TS 11]. Note: Cara Leland Rogers was Mrs. Urban H. Broughton

At 1410 W. 10^th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to an unidentified man: “$1 enclosed. /14 W. 10th st May 30. / Dear Sir:

Please send me another watch; & oblige” [MTP]. Note: this likely a followup note to Ingersoll & Brothers; see May 21.

Sam also wrote to Barbara Mullen in Hannibal, Mo.

I wish to thank you for sending me the program. The High School did me great honor, & naturally I am proud of it. The Hannibal schools always showed me special attentions, even from the beginning (at Mrs. Horr’s nearly 61 years ago), but this is the first time I have taken pride in them. In those early days I won compliments every day; but I wore a sheepskin under my jacket & did not much mind it [MTP]. Note: On May 20, Sam declined to travel to Hannibal to speak to Mullen’s high school; she then sent him a program from their graduation.

May 31 Friday – Sherman D. Callender wrote to Sam enclosing an invitation for an informal dinner with the Rev. Dr. William Scott Ament, of China on June 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the Fellowcraft Club Rooms, Hartford [MTP]. Note: the invitation was likely an attempt to reverse Sam’s opinion of Ament.

SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.